Christopher Walken plays a schoolteacher, Johnny Smith, who awakens from a five-year coma. He discovers that he has acquired the ability to foretell a person's future simply by touching his or her hand. After seeing several examples, Smith's doctor (Herbert Lom) becomes convinced that Smith can not only predict the future, but also has the power to change it. This ability is given its severest test when Smith shakes the hand of ruthless political candidate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) -- and suddenly has a flash-forward to ...
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Christopher Walken plays a schoolteacher, Johnny Smith, who awakens from a five-year coma. He discovers that he has acquired the ability to foretell a person's future simply by touching his or her hand. After seeing several examples, Smith's doctor (Herbert Lom) becomes convinced that Smith can not only predict the future, but also has the power to change it. This ability is given its severest test when Smith shakes the hand of ruthless political candidate Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) -- and suddenly has a flash-forward to a nuclear holocaust. The Dead Zone is not only one of the best-ever Stephen King adaptations, but also one of the most consistently successful (and least gory) efforts of director David Cronenberg. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Whether or not you consider The Dead Zone the scariest adaptation of a Stephen King novel, there is no denying that it is a terrific movie! Christopher Walken is John Smith, a high school teacher who awakens from a coma that lasted for five years after he was in a terrible car accident. Among other shocking changes in his life is the astonishing discovery that he can see the future or the past of a person through physical contact. The terrifying aspect of this psychic ability is that he often knows whether or not someone will soon die, either in an accident or by other means. Regardless of his wish for privacy and peace of mind, his power will soon lead him not only into a horrifying encounter with a deranged killer, but also to the chilling discovery that a candidate for state senate has chilling plans for the future. The Dead Zone is a wonderful, nail-biting combination of powerful drama and hair-raising horror movie! Stephen King fans, do not miss it!